Traces of Two Extinct 'Ghost' Ancestors Were Found Hiding in Modern Human DNA, Hinting at Our Extremely Complex Family Tree
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The evolutionary tree that produced Homo sapiens might contain more knots than previously thought. Researchers have identified traces of two ancient hominin species in the DNA of modern humans.
Reported by 1 outlet — Smithsonian. See all sources ↓
The evolutionary tree that produced Homo sapiens might contain more knots than previously thought. Researchers have identified traces of two ancient hominin species in the DNA of modern humans. One of these “ghost” ancestors interbred with H. sapiens more than 50,000 years ago, while the other contributed genetic material indirectly via Denisovans—another of our extinct cousins—more than 200,000 years ago, according to a study published on July 30 in the journal Science.
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- The evolutionary tree that produced Homo sapiens might contain more knots than previously thought. Researchers have identified traces of two ancient hominin species in the DNA of modern humans.
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Traces of Two Extinct 'Ghost' Ancestors Were Found Hiding in Modern Human DNA, Hinting at Our Extremely Complex Family Tree
Sources1TypeCoverageSmithsonian